Gotta Love Flying

Left Portland early this morning. Got to Minneapolis only to discover that my flight to NW Arkansas Regional Airport was canceled.

Me: Why?

Them: Weather.

I look out the window.

Me: What weather?

Them: It’s probably bad in Arkansas.

I call my daughter (in Arkansas).

Me: How’s the weather?

Daughter: Fine.

I hang up.

Me: What are my options?

Them: We have you on the 10:05 flight tomorrow morning.

Me: I need to be in Greenbrier, AR tonight to speak at 8:00AM tomorrow. What are my options?

Them: 10:05 tomorrow morning.

Me: That means I won’t be there until after 3:00PM. School will be out.

Them: What?

Me: Never mind. Do you have a hotel for me?

Them: No, it’s weather. We don’t provide hotels if it’s the weather.

Me: What weather?

I go into the Delta Club with a little bit of an attitude building. Brenda understands without me having to say a word.

Brenda: We can get you to Memphis tonight at 9:26PM.

Me: What’s the problem here?

Brenda: There is only one runway because of construction.

Me: So it’s not weather, which means you owe me a hotel tonight if I get stuck here.

Brenda: That’s correct. Do you want to flight to Memphis?

Me: I’ll have to see about a one-way car rental from Memphis to Bentonville.

I call Marie. She gets a one way rental. Before we confirm I call NASA and ask them how much the space shuttle would cost to rent. It’s less than the car, but it’s not available until Tuesday. We rent the car.